Tuesday Buzz: Poynter Enters the Membership Space

Originally founded as the Modern Media Institute in 1978, the Poynter Institute  (opens in a new tab) has gone through many phases in its history. Growing to encompass traditional media such as newspapers and broadcast journalism, the organization has become an educational leader for online reporting and social media best practices. Now, the longstanding conduit for best-in-class journalism is embarking on its next initiative: membership.

Today, the institute unveiled the Poynter Prepared Membership program  (opens in a new tab), which features three tiers  (opens in a new tab).

• Poynter Perks: The lowest tier of membership gives individuals a 20 percent discount on training, access to one of the organization’s Master Class  (opens in a new tab) lessons, early event registration and three News U courses.
• Poynter Plus: Everything from the perks tier, plus additional Master Classes and NewsU courses.
• Poynter 365: All of the above, and four private coaching sessions with Poynter’s experts.

Regardless of the tier chosen, Poynter is certain that it can justify the cost of its membership by offering unique, tangible benefits.

“The Poynter Prepared Membership Program will give journalists, educators, students and storytellers access to a wide range of affordable training that will help them achieve their career goals,” Poynter President Tim Franklin said in a statement  (opens in a new tab). “And, significantly, our highest membership tier will provide participants with one-on-one coaching sessions with our world-class faculty experts in areas like writing, editing, broadcasting, digital storytelling, social media and leadership.”

But, as all membership associations know, success ultimately hinges on follow-through, so keep an eye on Poynter’s efforts to see how a successful organization tackles the unique challenges of membership.

Framework of the Day:

Here’s a closer look at the skills addressed in the @CGMA  (opens in a new tab) competency framework. #AICPAGC15  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/Tayr3cMLFG  (opens in a new tab)

— Bill Sheridan, CAE, CPT (@BillSheridan) October 20, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

The American Institute of CPAs may be all about helping accountants, but the lessons of the organization’s Chartered Global Management Accountant competency framework hold true for many other aspects of your association. For more up-to-date insights from the accounting realm, follow the #AICPAGC15 hashtag  (opens in a new tab).

Other Good Reads:

Organizations waiting for the “social media fad” to pass may need to rethink their strategies. Small Business Trends reporter JoAnn McFarland has details  (opens in a new tab) from the Pew Research Center’s latest study on the meteoric rise of social media.

It’s been a bountiful membership season for one agricultural group. The National FFA Organization announced it has continued to set a membership records  (opens in a new tab) this year, with both new and alumni membership tallies continuing to grow.

A new sports nonprofit is getting ready to tackle racism. Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross is leading a collection of big names in athletics in a new nonprofit  (opens in a new tab) that plans to go on the offensive against societal discrimination.

(Attendees of a Poynter event in St. Petersburg, Florida. Credit: Jacob Kaplan-Moss/Flickr)